Saturday, October 30, 2010

Walking Around Sungai Rengit...

Memories as a child

In my Form 1 Geography project, it was about to find out the origin of the name of the town you are staying. I remember i had a manuscript of 'Sejarah Pengerang' (The History of Pengerang) from my sister. I got my project done by using that manuscript. It said, the name 'Sungai Rengit' is coming from the river (Sungai) and a kind of tree which used to grow by the river, which were' rengit' trees. i did not know anyone who knew rengit tree, but there used to be mangroves by the river. Now, even the mangroves have disappeared, not to mention the rengit trees, if it ever exist. As for the chinese name si(4) wan(1) dao(3)四湾岛 (literally means the fourth cove island), if you counted from Tanjung Pengelih, Sungai Rengit is believed to be the forth cove by the sea. It is called an island because long time ago, there is no road access to here from Kota Tinggi. People had to take a boat to go to the bigger town or city. My sister was borned in 1976 and my mom had to take a boat to go the the hospital in Johor Bahru to give birth. Due to this, people mistaken or considered this 'forth cove' as an island.



This is one of the fishermen jetty, it is at the river mouth of Sungai Rengit, beside of the bridge.
When i was in primary school, for unknown reason, mantis shrimps were something that nobody wanted to buy. So i came to the jetty in the evening time when the fishermen came back from their catch, and went back home with a big bag of shrimps for free.



Near by the bridge is a 'Y' junction and this piece of land is at that junction.
When i were young, we called here san(1) jiao(3) po(1) 三角坡 [the triangle slope]. There were a few swings, see-saw and other things for children to play. Eventually, they built a garage to park the fire engines and now, it is just merely for decoration.



My grandma told me that, those tower liked structure on the sea are oil rigs. i doubted it, as i don't think we produce oil here. But later on, my friend who studied petro chemical told me that, they are oil rigs! I am still not sure what are these rigs doing here, as nobody i asked seems like can tell me for sure. Some of the rigs are so near that you are able to swim towards it! [such as the nearest one to Kampung Jawa -- tou(2) wan(1)头湾].



We called here da(4) cao(3) chang(3)[big field]. It is shared by both Yok Poon and Sungai Rengit Primary School. Any special event of the town, this is the place for it. In the evening, there are always people playing football.
When i was in the primary school, this is the field where we were trained by Sir Ganeshen (the only Indian teacher in the chinese school) for run. One round of the field is 400 meter.



This is considered as the main street of Sungai Rengit. There are many more tall buildings (more than one storey) than it used to be. There are a few new shops and restaurants, including local product shops (the only real local products are the pastry and may be the seafood at the restaurants -- even in the restaurant, nowadays, they important many seafood from else where), a bakery or patteseries, a steak restaurant (!) and shop selling bubble tea and waffles.
Most of these shops or restaurants are opened or invested by the local younger generations who earned a bit of the money else where and have confidence over the potential the town.



Medan Ikan Bakar or the grilled fish square is the only hawker centre in the town. On the 4th and 18th day of the month, there is a night market just beside of the square. The night market is the best place to try different kind of local snacks, such as apom-apom, bamboo rice, bird nest water (the owner sold this for at least 20 years already) ... There are also clothes, electric appliances, plants ...



Medan Ikan Bakar have good views. It is by the sea and you can feel the breeze and even see the sunset. Nowadays, you can see many big ships on the sea. I read it some where saying that, this part of water is the international grey zone between Singapore and Malaysia. These ships are parking here so that they do not have to pay the anchor fees, while waiting to get into the habour in Singapore.

14 comments:

Berry said...

Hi. Nice blog.... I'm now based in Singapore and planning to bike from here to Desaru and stop over at Sungai Rengit/Pengerang (I'll take the ferry from Changi. I'll be goin some time the 1st week of December.

Any suggestions on where I could stay and what places to visit?

shenjiaqing said...

There are many small hotels/motels in the town. As for which one is the best, i have really no clue. The town is small, so in term of location, there is not different. Just go to whichever that you feel good with. :)
One of the places to visit might be the old mine at Teluk Ramunia, around 5km further from Sungai Rengit. I have never been there before, but heard that people do go there for a visit. The beach of Batu Layar is nice, with the big rocks and shallow sea bed. If you take the alternate route from Sungai Rengit to Desaru, instead of using highway Kota Tinggi- Pengerang, take the one passing by Teluk Ramunia, then you will pass by quite a few small villages/residential areas and beaches. This route is of course longer but more pleasant.
Have a good trip!

Kipas Repair JB said...

Hi,

I found your blog and i love it. I'm particularly interested with this post "Walking around sungai rengit". I'm wondering if I can take this article and place it in my blog "jbcool.com". The credit will be to you and I will link the article to you.

Thanks and regards

Zaki

shenjiaqing said...

Hi Zaki,
I would be pleased if this encourage more visitors to my hometown! :)

Green light, go ahead.
Thanks.

dancanoz said...

Enjoyed reading your blog. I think I will make a point to drop by Sg Rengit on 1st day of CNY. I heard the lobsters there are delicious. Do you know if the restaurants there (particularly Jade Restaurant) is open on that day?

Many thanks.

shenjiaqing said...

Hi! Dancanoz,
I do not know for sure, but as far as i know, the restaurants even open during Chinese New Year. So i don't see how they are not opening during the western calendar new year.
Have a good trip!

竜: 还好吗? said...

Hi, may i know you which year d??
I from Sungai Rengit too, but now stay in Penang.

My primary school also Yok Poon and been study Tanjung Datuk till form 2, maybe we r same year ^^

shenjiaqing said...

To: 竜: 还好吗?

Hi. No possibility that we are from the same year and yet you don't know my real name, as appeared here! Yet i don't have classmate who moved house at Form two. :)
Anyway, i entered Tanjung Datuk in Form 1 at year 1992. i did not enter the 1 year preparation class at that time.

竜: 还好吗? said...

92 in Form 1, then i elder you one year!

I think if you know 德凯or沈杰圣, then you may know me too.

My uncle is the now open 金河 d.

Sawing that you current working as QA Engineer in Kota? Me also engineer too but as a Desgin Engineer in Sony.

If had time, when i go back ask a time to meet up ba^^

shenjiaqing said...

i don't know 德凯or沈杰圣, but i knew the seafood restaurant 金河. :)
i used to work in Singapore, but quit two years ago.
I am now staying in Canada, so meeting up is really tricky thing! Even updating this blog has becoming difficult since i dont go back often.
Please share some pictures with me that you took when you go back to Sungai Rengit later, if you don't mind them to be used by me for this blog! Thanks!

竜: 还好吗? said...

Sure, no problem.

I will back around April to 清明.
Will share d photo with you later ^^

Lollitotsy said...

Hi hi...

Nice to see ppl like you blog abt this wonderful place. My grandparents and some of my aunties stays here. I last went back in 2006 or 2007 i tink, the photos of the new jetty really surprise me.

elye said...

nice blog... I have my memories in Pengarang where my grand parents lived.

cheers
Eric

BENNY NG BH said...

Hi

Can I have the actual location of the abandoned bridge where the stone foundation still stands???